‘Home fever’ gives 12 million a runny nose

Allergy UK said “home fever”, also known as perennial allergic rhinitis, is on the rise, with more sufferers seeking help for symptoms including a runny nose and sneezing.

A poll of 1,600 people with allergies found 58 per cent react to house dust mites, 31 per cent said they were allergic to mould and 45 per cent had a pet allergy.

Some 30 per cent of sufferers are also allergic to the chemicals found in common cleaning products.

NHS figures suggest 12 million people receive allergy treatment in any one year and six million are so seriously affected they require specialist help.

Hospital admissions for allergy have risen over the past two decades.

Some estimates suggest 21 million people in the UK now have some sort of allergy.

The new poll for Allergy UK found 59 per cent of indoor allergy sufferers said their symptoms are worse in the bedroom.

Estimates suggest a bed can house two million house dust mites while pillows can double their weight, over six months, due to dust mite faeces.

While there is no cure for home allergies, the charity recommends people take simple steps to cut the number of allergens in their home.

These include dusting regularly with a damp duster followed by a dry cloth, washing bedding once a week at 60 degrees or higher and regularly steam-cleaning carpets and curtains.

Other tips include using allergy protectors on mattresses, duvets and pillows, replacing the mattress every eight to ten years and buying new pillows every year.

Allergy UK research suggests 16 per cent of people wash bed sheets every three weeks, while 58 per cent wash bed linens between 30 or 40 degrees, which is not hot enough to kill mites.

It also found 13 per cent of people have had their current mattress for 11 years or more, while 25 per cent keep pillows for five years or more.

Lindsey McManus, from Allergy UK, said: “Indoor allergies are on the increase.

“In February 2010, house dust mites were a trigger of an allergic reaction for 45 per cent of allergy sufferers.

“Fast forward 18 months and that figure has risen to 58 per cent.

“In the winter months, we see calls to the Allergy UK helpline peak as more and more sufferers come forward.

“In an effort to keep warm, people close doors and windows, turn up the heating and inadvertently create the ideal breeding ground for house dust mites.”

She added: “Confusion frequently arises during colder months as people develop cold and flu symptoms and treat them as just that.

“Runny nose and sneezing are in fact the most common indicators of a house dust mite allergy.”

In numbers:

The number of Britons who are allergic to their own homes is on the rise.

12 million suffer from “home fever”

58% react to house dust mites

31% are allergic to mould

45% have a pet allergy

12 million Britons receive allergy treatment per year

21 million in total suffer from an allergy

59% said their symptoms are worse in the bedroom